Coincidentally, you can walk around the corner (be careful!) to Olympic Boulevard and see three of Alpert’s large, bronze totems in the median near 26th street.

Set against the backdrop of the Expo Line construction, workers were putting the finishing touches on the installation this afternoon. They’ll be there for the next year, thanks to the Santa Monica Arts Commission.

The artist in his studio

Alpert told me he didn’t start making art to display, necessarily. He also stressed the importance of finding one’s own style.

Years ago on a visit to the Sistine Chapel, he found himself thinking: Why bother painting, when there’s this? Rather than imitating, he tapped into his right brain and began creating.